The Way it Should Have Been
by laurashley11
Summary: The interweaving paths of Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore. Their lives may not have turned out as they thought, but they are forever intertwined.
1. Prologue

A/N: This is my first time trying to write a FanFiction. I hope you all enjoy it. Please review and let me know how to improve! I feel like this is going to turn into a long story, so please, stay tuned!

**Disclaimer: Characters of Minerva and Albus are not mine. Neither is Hogwarts and any associated professors. I do take credit for Athena, Dalton and the plot. **

Prologue

"You may kiss your bride!" The crowd cheered as the new husband and wife smiled before leaning in for a passionate kiss.

The mother of the bride smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. Minerva McGonagall watched as Athena married her sweetheart from her time at Hogwarts. The day was truly all a mother could want for her daughter. It was a warm day in July, almost perfect temperature. Roses lined the aisle, and the ceilings of the church were high and detailed. Stained glass windows changed colours slowly, which was exactly how Athena wanted it. Athena's dress, chosen and modified by her mother, was strapless and flowed beautifully, highlighting her every curve. Minerva had walked Athena down the aisle, and the look on Dalton's face when he first saw his bride to be was a wonderful sight for any mother to see.

She liked her new son-in-law. He was a humble man, intelligent, brave, and a fellow Gryffindor like both Athena and Minerva. Dalton was sweet, and Minerva knew he cared more about Athena than anything in the world. They made an incredible pair, one full of fire, and the other laid back. Athena was stubborn, and Dalton acquiesced to her requests nine times out of ten. Dalton and Athena complemented each other quite well in every aspect, even in looks: her raven hair and striking green eyes made his auburn-blonde hair and blue eyes stand out, and vice versa.

Minerva sat up from her chair to watch Athena and Dalton walk down the aisle, hand in hand. She caught the eye of someone across the aisle and gave her new relative a slight smile. Minerva had hit the jackpot in terms of in-laws. '_At least I won't have to worry about fighting for holidays._' she thought wryly. Being a widow and only having one child, Minerva desperately wanted to see Athena as many times as possible. She knew that holidays would most likely be a joint affair with both herself and Dalton's father, with whom she was good friends, seeing as they were both alone (Dalton's mother had passed away two years prior).

When the crowd started to divulge into the aisle, Minerva slowly made her way onto the white carpeted aisle. She soon found herself tripping over her heels. Her arm was suddenly grasped by a firm, steadying hand. She looked up into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"Oh, Albus, thank you. I'm afraid I shouldn't have worn shoes quite this high." Minerva said with a small laugh.

"It was no problem, my dear. You know I don't mind." Albus gave Minerva a look that seemed to have a hidden meaning for Minerva, and she dropped her arm, realizing it was still held by Albus' hand.

"Athena looks lovely today. Dalton couldn't have wished for a better bride." Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Minerva smiled and started to follow the crowd. "She does, doesn't she? And was Dalton wearing your suit?"

"The suit I wore for your graduation? Yes. I thought he would look splendid." Albus chuckled.

"I seem to picture that his father looked just as well." Minerva remembered.

"Well, I seem to recall that Athena's mother liked the way he looked. In fact, Minerva, there was not a thing about that day that you didn't like. Remember afterwards, when-" Albus retorted.

Minerva put her hand over his mouth and pulled Albus away from the crowd that was now spilling out onto the streets. She gave him her famous professor glare before she took her hand away.

"Albus, this day is not about us. Today is about our children, and their marriage. It is not about our past, or whatever may have conspired then. Let it rest Albus." Minerva took a deep breath. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I should go see my daughter."

"Fine." Albus took a step back. "But Tabby, dear - just remember that if things had gone my way, this would have been our wedding." He gave her a sad smile before joining the crowd, clapping along the way.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: I wanted to do a quick and long update, to try and catch more interest. Thanks to those reviewers, people who favourited, and everyone who has read the story! This story starts at their first meeting and continues on so you can see how they got to that point in the prologue. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint, and don't forget to review! (After the number of each chapter, I think I'll write how far it was in the past relative to the prologue.) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, and never will be.**

Chapter One- There Tends to Be a Day When it All Began

*40 years earlier*

Eleven year old Minerva McGonagall stepped off of the Hogwarts Express and sighed. She loved the smell of the fresh, Scottish air. Minerva had missed that- for the past two weeks, she had been vacationing in London with her family. She was incredibly excited to finally attend Hogwarts. Both her brother and sister had come home and told tales of the moving staircases and the ghosts that roamed the halls. She hoped that she would end up in the house of either her brother or her sister: Nathaniel was in Gryffindor, and Esmeralda was in Ravenclaw. Minerva would be happy to be a member of either one. Esmeralda was going into her third year, and Nathaniel was about to start his fifth.

Minerva glanced around at her surroundings. It was slightly chilly, and the sky was bright with shining stars. She looked for her friends Rowena and Ekaterina. Before she could find them, Minerva heard a voice in the distance.

"First years! First years, this way please! Everyone else to the carriages! First years, to the dock!" Minerva followed the voice to find a black haired, large man. She looked up at him and said, "Excuse me, sir, where is the dock?"

"That way, Miss. I'll be along soon." The man pointed to the left, and Minerva followed. She walked along a stone path that led her down a hill.

"Minnie! Minnie! O'er 'ere!" Minerva looked around to find Ekaterina and Rowena standing at the bottom of the hill, waving. Minerva ran to her friends. She had known Rowena since birth; the families were great friends. Ekaterina, on the other hand, she had met in London last year, when they were each bidding goodbye to their siblings boarding the Hogwarts Express. Ekaterina had moved from Russia to London that year, and the girls had kept in touch throughout the year, meeting on shared school vacation time.

"Ekaterina! Rowena! I was beginning to think I'd lost you." Minerva smiled at her friends before turning to Ekaterina. "And I thought I told you not to call me Minnie!"

"I wish you liked it, it sounds so vonderful." Ekaterina teased. "Now, vere do you think ve'll be going?"

Just at that moment, the large man from before cleared his throat. "Now, first years, listen up! I am Professor Harrison, and I teach Arithmancy up at the school. This year, I was granted the pleasure of bringing you all up to Hogwarts. If you would all please get into groups of four, and board a boat. Be careful, I don't need any of you in the water!"

The three girls looked around for a fourth companion. They found a lone boy in a boat, searching for others to join him. The trio walked over and sat down. Immediately, the boat began to move.

"Hello. I'm Minerva McGonagall, and these are my friends, Ekaterina Romanov and Rowena Ravenclaw. What's your name?" Minerva introduced themselves.

"My name is Aidan. Aidan Scrimgeour." Aidan extended his hand, and each girl shook it in turn. "Which house do you hope you'll be sorted into?"

"I don't care! As long as I am sorted, ve don't have a problem." Ekaterina ran her hand through her hair and laughed. "My brother is in Slytherin, and my sisters are both in Ravenclaw. They each seem happy enough, and the other houses seem perfectly respectable."

"I wish to be in Ravenclaw." Rowena stated softly. "My entire family has been in Ravenclaw. We're direct descendants. I don't want to be the first in the Ravenclaw clan to not be in the house of the eagle. I'm named after the founder, for goodness sakes!"

"You'll be lucky if people don't mistake you for the actual founder." Aidan said with a laugh.

"I know. I can hardly wait." Rowena sarcastically rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to thank my parents for that when I win Minister of Magic."

Each of them started to laugh. Aidan turned to Minerva and said, "You're left. What house do you think is the most admirable?"

"My sister and brother are in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor respectively, so I don't really care either way." Minerva said calmly. "Yourself?"

Aidan took a deep breath. "Anything but Slytherin. My whole family has been in Slytherin, and I hate their views on many political issues. I want to change the world for the better, but I believe in very different morals than the rest of my family."

"Vow." Ekaterina breathed. "Ve are only eleven, yet you are so grown- up!"

"Someone from my family had to assume responsibility. I'm an only child with parents who weren't around much." Aidan shrugged. "Look, we're there!"

The group raised their heads in awe of the big castle. It looked so mystical, what with the many towers and window. A few winding staircases and strolling ghosts were visible courtesy of a large window on one of the turrets. '_This,_ Minerva thought_, this is what I've been waiting for._'

"Everyone, out of the boats!" Professor Harrison called out to the first years. "Follow me, if you please. And be careful, the rocks are slippery!"

Aidan hopped out of the boat first and held his hand out. With a little bow, he said "Allow me to help, ladies."

The trio giggled and stepped outside with help from their new friend. They walked up to the castle, whispering about the stories they had heard from their family members. Soon enough, they entered Hogwarts. It was a dream come true: large, open, and it felt like home. The first years were led up a staircase. The foursome pushed their way to the front of the crowd in time to hear Professor Harrison say, "Take it from here, Professor Dumbledore."

Minerva looked up to see the acclaimed Albus Dumbledore. He had half-moon spectacles, and his eyes shone bright blue. Nathaniel had told her his lessons were great, and she was very keen on the subject of Transfiguration. Knowing that this was a good start to an even better year, she quickly tuned in to what Professor Dumbledore was saying.

"Welcome, everyone, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy!" Professor Dumbledore beamed at the children. "I hope you will all enjoy your time here, for Hogwarts is a place to learn and meet new people, to discover yourself and overcome obstacles. Through these doors is the Great Hall. Once we are at the front, I'll call you up individually and you'll place the Sorting Hat upon your head. The Hat will determine which house you will join: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Each is known for producing outstanding wizards."

"And witches." Minerva mumbled, quite perturbed that a famed person such as himself couldn't remember the opposite gender.

"And witches, quite right, Miss..." Professor Dumbledore peered down at Minerva.

"McGonagall, sir. Minerva McGonagall." Minerva said with a blush, embarrassed that he had heard her.

"Your brother is Nathaniel and your sister is Esmeralda, correct?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.

"Yes, sir." Minerva said, her face an even deeper shade of crimson.

"Let's hope you have more of an aptitude for Transfiguration than they, shall we?" Professor Dumbledore teased. At Minerva's nod, he continued on. "Before I was corrected, which was necessary, thank you Miss McGonagall, I was saying that each house will do you proud. Follow me, and let the Sorting begin!"

The Great Hall doors opened. Ekaterina, Aidan and Rowena teased Minerva, but she kept a straight face. She may have been embarrassed on her first day, but she was not going to let anyone know it.

When Professor Dumbledore reached the front of the Hall, he opened a large scroll. "Abbott, Courtney!" The list continued on as each house cheered when they gained a new member. Minerva spotted her siblings at their respective tables and smiled at them. Before long, her name was called.

"McGonagall, Minerva!" Professor Dumbledore called. Minerva bravely walked up the stairs and sat on the stool. She felt the Sorting Hat be placed on her head, and she waited.

"_Well, well, well, let's look here. Another McGonagall I see. That makes things very difficult. Your mother is a Ravenclaw, and your father a muggle. You definitely have the smarts for Ravenclaw, there's no doubt about that. You share the brains of your sister and mother, and you would shine in Ravenclaw. I would sort you there, but then I search your mind some more and I find a stubborn, brave, courageous streak in you. Those traits are greatly valued by the House of Gryffindor. Your wonder for learning does not outweigh your loyalty; in fact, you're at a draw. The other two houses do not seem to be a good match for you: you do not agree with the morals and values of a typical Slytherin, nor are you one with a great deal of patience that is often seen in a Hufflepuff. So it is either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. But where to put you? You are one of the hardest cases I have ever dealt with, Miss McGonagall. Do you have a preference?"_

Minerva shook her head slightly and listened to the Sorting Hat continue its battle. The voice was becoming annoying in her head. She looked out into the crowd, and she saw wondrous faces. Minerva chanced a glance at Professor Dumbledore only to see him look at her with amazement written on his face. She then looked at her watch and saw that it had been six minutes since she first sat down on the stool. Minerva was starting to get annoyed when suddenly a cry ran out into the silent Hall: "GRYFFINDOR!"

With great relief, Minerva took the Sorting Hat off her head and handed it back to Professor Dumbledore, who was beaming at her. She blushed and ran to sit beside her brother.

"Well done, Sis. I'm so happy you're in Gryffindor with me." Nathaniel said proudly.

Minerva smiled and waited for her friends to be sorted as well. Before long, "Ravenclaw, Rowena!" was heard. She could hear people whispering about her name and Rowena's family line.

"Old news for us, eh Minnie?" Nathaniel gave her a slight nudge.

"Yes. And don't call me Minnie!" Minerva said angrily before turning around to watch her friend. It took not thirty seconds before "RAVENCLAW!" was heard. She saw Rowena sigh with relief and practically sprint to the Ravenclaw table. Rowena sat beside Esmeralda, who gave an approving nod towards Minerva.

"Romanov, Ekaterina!" Professor Dumbledore's voice rang out. Ekaterina flounced up to the seat, and as quickly as the seat had been placed on her head "SLYTHERIN!" was yelled.

Minerva heard herself gasp. She had no problem with Slytherins, but to think her friend possessed some of those qualities frightened her. Minerva knew there was nothing she could do, so she waited for Adian to be called. He was announced a Gryffindor within seconds, and he found himself seated beside Minerva.

"Hey, Gryffindor!" Aidan said upon sitting down, a large smile upon his face.

"I could say the same to you." Minerva smiled at her new friend. She looked around at her new family, and she felt at home. Minerva glanced up at her teachers, and immediately caught the eye of Professor Dumbledore. He raised his glass to her with a slight smile and took a drink. Minerva gave him a quizzical glance, but seemed to know that there would be a time for her to ask him about it. With that toast, Minerva knew there was something about Professor Dumbledore that got her- that he would be an incredible role model. She realized her life had begun to change. Minerva had no idea just how much Hogwarts would influence her over her life, but then again, no one does- especially not on the day it feels as if life is finally beginning.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is the second chapter! Enjoy my dears!

Chapter Two- "I made history?"

*One week after Minerva's Sorting*

"Good work today class. Please place your needles back in the bin on my desk, and finish that essay for Tuesday." Professor Dumbledore stood up and put the rubber container in front of his books.

Minerva stepped forwards with Aidan and Rowena. First year Gryffindors had Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, so she got to spend this class with her friends. The trio all loved Professor Dumbledore and the subject itself, which made this class an amazing experience for her.

When she got to the front of class, Professor Dumbledore motioned for her to step aside. Minerva walked around to the other side of his desk. "Yes, Professor Dumbledore?"

"I wondered if you had a moment to talk about your experience with the Sorting Hat. You are on lunch, I presume?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, sir." Minerva nodded.

"I can have my house elf bring up a few sandwiches, and we can chat in my office. The door is right there." He pointed to a door on the left. "Go in, and make yourself comfortable. I'll just clean up here, and then I'll be right in."

Minerva walked to the door and opened it. She felt a little awkward being in her Professor's office alone, but she desperately wanted to know why her Sorting had taken as long as it had. Minerva sat down on one side of his desk. She looked around and saw a countless amount of books and whirring instruments. Interested, she reached out to touch one on his desk.

"Miss?" Minerva jumped, scared it was Professor Dumbledore. She turned to see a little house elf sitting there, holding a large pile of sandwiches. "You required a lunch?"

"Why, thank you." She got up to take the plate, but the elf waved her hand and the plate appeared on the desk. The elf snapped her fingers and a pot of tea joined the food.

"Thank you, Mimsy." The door closed and Professor Dumbledore walked in the room. "That will be all."

Mimsy curtsied and was gone with a snap. Minerva waited for her teacher to say something, but all he said was "Eat."

"With all due respect, sir, I'd prefer to know why my Sorting unfolded as it did before I eat. It will calm my nerves." Minerva admitted.

"Nerves? Why are you nervous?" Professor Dumbledore sat down with a smile. "Nothing bad will happen to you as a result of your Sorting. In fact, you made history."

"I made history?" Minerva gasped. "Professor, what do you mean?"

"I mean you were the first woman hatstall in Hogwarts history. Actually, you're only the second person in history." Professor Dumbledore informed her.

"What is a hatstall, sir?" Minerva inquired, now genuinely interested.

"Miss McGonagall, a hatstall is when the Hat can not decide between two or more houses for one given person. Essentially, a person's sorting takes more than five minutes." Professor Dumbledore elaborated. "Seeing as there was only one person to be a hatstall before you, no concrete research has been developed, so I'm afraid there isn't much more to tell you."

"Well, who was the hatstall before myself?" Minerva wondered.

"Me." Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly. "At my Sorting, the Hat could not decide my House."

"If you don't mind my asking, what were the options? I know you ended up in Gryffindor, obviously, I mean, you're my Head of House. But what was the other house?" Minerva asked, hoping for some information.

"Other _houses_, Miss McGonagall. It would seem that the Sorting Hat thought that I would be a suitable option for any of the four houses."

"Even _Slytherin_?" Minerva gasped. "I'm sorry Professor, I'm not normally one to judge, but that House has too much of a bad history as far as I'm concerned."

"Miss McGonagall, within each of us lies a bit of every house. It would appear that in my case, I was almost equally all four. If it would ease your mind, I can tell you that Slytherin was the first house the Hat eliminated." Professor Dumbledore said in a reprimanding tone.

Minerva hung her head shamefully. "Yes, Professor. I'm sorry I was judgmental, but within every stereotype there lies a grain of truth."

At this remark, Professor Dumbledore smiled once more. "Quite right, Miss McGonagall. Now, if I may ask, which houses were your options? I have my suspicions, but I'd rather hear it from you."

"Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, sir. I suppose having my brother in one and my sister in the other meant their could be no familial preference- although my mother was in Ravenclaw. I have no idea why I was a hatstall, in all honesty Professor." Minerva looked down at her feet.

"Judging by the way you transfigured that needle into a flowerpot today, and so quickly and detailed, I think we can both deduce that you are incredibly talented and very bright, Miss McGonagall. You would have done very well in Ravenclaw, I have no doubt about that. I cannot, however, disguise my pleasure at having you placed in my House. I think you have a bright future ahead of you." Professor Dumbledore complimented the young girl who was now blushing furiously.

"Thank you Professor. That was kind. You've only known me a week, though- I would think that the only other hatstall in Hogwarts history would know better than to make judgments quickly, sir." Minerva said with a smile. She grabbed two of the small sandwiches and transfigured one into a paper bag. Placing the leftover sandwich into the bag, she walked towards the door. "Thanks for lunch and the history lesson, Professor." Minerva opened the door and started to walk out. Suddenly she turned and asked, "What were your suspicions about my options for Houses, Professor?"

"Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Miss McGonagall. Look at the way you just transfigured that paper bag- I knew you were intelligent. I also suspected that you would not be a good fit in Slytherin, seeing as your father is a muggle and you may have been ostracized in that house. I cannot see you in Hufflepuff either- you do not have much patience."

"So that's why you were a Hatstall, Professor. Your deduction skills." Minerva continued walking out the door. Over her shoulder, she called out to her Professor: "I still cannot believe I was the first woman in history!"

A/N: So there we have it, their first real conversation. I hope you liked it, and as always, please don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought!


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm so happy there's been a positive response to this story! I'm sorry this chapter is so late: I was up at my cottage with no internet access. So I wrote it on my phone at midnight, which surprisingly gave me a great idea for the next chapter. I realize the unit I mention in this chapter may not be what JK had in mind for first years, but creative license took over. I hope you like this, and as always, review if it suits your fancy. ;)

**Disclaimer: I'm not British, therefore, I couldn't have written Harry Potter.**

Chapter Three - Tragedy Leads to Trust

* January, Minerva's first year *

"I hope that each of you had a satisfactory Christmas break." Professor Dumbledore introduced his first class after the holidays. "Unfortunately, now is the time to get your mind back to school mode. So, if you will all take out your quills and turn to chapter six in your textbooks, we'll be starting a new unit."

"What unit will we be learning about?" Aidan asked his friends, getting out his books.

"I would assume the rules of transfiguration between inanimate and animate objects." Rowena suggested.

"You'd be correct, Ro." Minerva said as she flipped the pages in her textbook to chapter six. "I read over this unit during the holidays- I'm very excited for it."

"I'm happy to hear that, Miss McGonagall. Although I do hope you used some of your break for fun?" Professor Dumbledore questioned his student on his way around the classroom.

"Yes, Professor. I received a new broom for Christmas, so I could often be found playing Quidditch with my siblings." Minerva responded. "Both Nathaniel and Esmeralda play for their House teams, so it is a fun time when the McGonagalls get their brooms out."

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "I'm glad to hear that you share your siblings' interest in sports. Who knows, come September, you may very well be playing for our team." He walked to the front of the classroom and called, "Who knows the main concept of this unit?"

The first hand in the air was Minerva's.

A week later, Minerva was sitting in the common room with Aidan working on various bits of homework.

"I hate Potions, it's useless!" Aidan threw his Potions essay on the ground with a sigh. "I mean _really_, unless you want to become a Medi-Witch or something, there's no bloody point to the subject!"

"You need this subject for many jobs, including that of an Auror." Minerva corrected him. "Don't close any doors just because of an essay."

"Easy for you to say- you're a genius." Aidan joked, using his wand to lift his essay back onto the table.

Minerva was about to retort when they heard a crash. The duo looked over to see Professor Dumbledore run through the portrait hole. "Miss McGonagall?"

"Yes, Professor?" Minerva stood up. "What is the matter?"

Her teacher ignored her question. "You're here, thank Merlin. Where is your brother?"

"I don't know, Professor-"

"Mr. Scrimgeour, please go check the dormitories. If you find Mr. McGonagall, please send him to the hospital wing straight away. Miss McGonagall, follow me."

Professor Dumbledore practically leapt back into the portrait hall. With a worried glance, the two friends parted. Minerva ran after him, now incredibly nervous.

"Professor, what is going on?" Minerva panted, struggling to keep up. "Why are we going to the hospital wing?"

"Your sister was in an accident." Professor Dumbledore said gravely, never once breaking his stride. "It would seem that some Slytherins decided to jinx her broom before the qualifying match on Saturday."

Minerva's blood ran cold. "Is Esmeralda okay? Who did this to her?"

"She had quite a fall, Miss McGonagall. Only time will tell how well her recovery will be. Madam Goldman will be able to tell us more. The Slytherins in question are in my office. I told them they would have to answer to you and your brother- we'll stop off there after you see your sister."

They arrived at the Hospital Wing, which was a flurry of activities. Minerva spotted her sister on the bed and her throat released a cold-blooded scream.

Esmeralda's hair was in a ponytail, but it was completely knotted and branches were sticking out. Her left arm was outstretched, as though she was reaching for the snitch. Every other limb was bent at odd angles; it looked like a contortionist had taken over her body.

"ESMERALDA!" Minerva shrieked. She ran at her sister only to be held back by Professor Dumbledore. "LET ME GO!" Minerva punched her teacher's arms. "I WANT TO SEE MY SISTER!"

"Professor, please, she's not helping Esmeralda if she's acting like that." Madam Goldman came over, wiping her hands on her apron. "You can stay, Miss McGonagall, if you keep quiet."

"What is going on?" Nathaniel burst through the doors. "Who's hurt?" He looked at the group and saw his youngest sister. "Oh Minnie, thank goodness!"

Minerva didn't have the heart to tell him off for calling her by her detested nickname. Instead, she hugged him so tightly she thought he had to suffocate.

"Mr McGonagall, it would seem that the elder Miss McGonagall fell while on her broomstick." Professor Dumbledore broke the news. "She is being attended to as we speak."

"Slytherins jinxed her broom, Nate." Minerva whispered, burying her head into her brother's shirt.

"What?" Nathaniel growled and turned to his professor. "Sir, may we please speak with the Slytherins that did this?"

Professor Dumbledore stared at the siblings. "Yes, but please, keep it civilized. I will be in the room, so no harm will come to you. Follow me."

They walked in silence to his office. Once there, Professor Dumbledore opened the door. Nathaniel rushed past him, wand out and yelled, "Which one of you did this to Em?"

"Vhy is a Gryffindor here? It's just like one of you lions to get involved vhere you don't belong!" An attractive Slytherin stood up and put his hands on his hips. "This is between the noble house of the serpent and the house of the bird!"

"Nicolas, ven you take down a McGonagall, you deal vith the rest of the family." Minerva heard a voice so familiar, so distinct, that she slowly walked into the room in disbelief.

"Ekaterina? Did you do this to Em?" Minerva gaped at her so-called friend, scared of the answer.

"Ve did this to help our house!" Ekaterina ran her hand through her hair. "Ve just meant to frighten her."

"Whatever your intentions were, they do not excuse the fact that my sister is sitting in a hospital bed HALF DEAD BECAUSE YOU DECIDED TO INCREASE YOUR HOUSE PRIDE!" Minerva shouted, shaking. She ran towards Ekaterina, but Professor Dumbledore held her back.

"Calm down, everyone! Mr and Miss McGonagall, have a seat." He conjured two comfortable seats, with velvety cushioned backs. Minerva thought they looked so fake and happy that she took out her wand and transfigured everyone's chair into stiff, wooden-backed chairs.

"Thanks for that, Min." Nathaniel rolled her eyes and sat down in the now highly uncomfortable chairs.

"We have to-" Professor Dumbledore began.

"Why would you do that?" Minerva yelled, cutting her Professor off. "Your own sisters are in Ravenclaw!"

"Vat sisters?" Ekaterina's brother laughed.

"Ah, I have no sisters, Minerva! Ven I moved to England vith my brother and mother, my sisters stayed behind. They go to a school in Russia."

"Then who were those girls at the train station when I met you?" Minerva asked, horrified.

"Random girls I found." Ekaterina shrugged.

"Then why lie?" Minerva growled, berating herself for trusting someone so obviously twisted.

"I vanted to be your friend, and I know you are not a fan of Slytherins. But ven I got here, I met many new friends in my own house, so yours vas not needed any longer. Your sister became disposable." Ekaterina picked at her nails, seeming bored with the conversation.

"This is getting us nowhere, girls." Professor Dumbledore got them back on track. "Miss Romanov, Mr Romanov, you both will be receiving a month's worth of detentions, and Mr Romanov, your Quidditch privileges are revoked for the rest of the school year. I will send a note containing the details of your punishments. You are free to leave."

They left, muttering in Russian. After they left, Professor Dumbledore turned his attention to his lions. "Mr McGonagall, please go check on your sister."

Nathaniel got up slowly, unsure whether Minerva would be accompanying him. "I assure you, I will send your sister along in a moment."

The elder McGonagall nodded and shut the door. Without the fear of disappointing Nate, Minerva started to cry.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Pro-professor. I'm worried ab-about Esmer-meralda and I just lost a-a-a-a friend." Minerva sobbed.

"It's okay, Miss McGonagall. Here, take some chocolate." Professor Dumbledore extended his arm and placed a piece of Honeydukes chocolate into her hand. "I'm sorry this all had to happen, but I'm sure your sister will be just fine."

"Can I go check on her?" Minerva sniffled. "I want to be there when she wakes up."

"Of course." Professor Dumbledore stood up. "I'll be writing to your parents, so expect a letter with inquiries about-"

Minerva closed the distance between them and hugged him. "Thank you, Professor." Embarrassed at what she had just done, she stepped back and wiped her eyes. "I'll see you in class?"

"I suppose you will, yes." Professor Dumbledore said with a bemused glance on his face. "Enjoy the chocolate."

With a nod bidding farewell, Minerva ran off to the hospital wing. She stuffed the chocolate into her mouth and a slight smile spread across her face. Why it was there, Minerva didn't know- she had nothing to be happy about at the moment. She had lost a friend and her sister's well-being was in jeopardy. What Minerva did know, however, was that she had found a confidante -one who would protect her- at Hogwarts, and that made her smile a little brighter.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I have finally established a timeline for this story! It does not correlate with JK Rowling's whatsoever, but it works for my uses. Sorry this took so long, but I'm in the midst of moving halfway across the country, and I'm trying to see all my friends before I go. Also, I'm more motivated when someone reviews, and there were no reviews on the last chapter. :/ Anyways, I hope you all like this update! Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer: All Jo's. Not mine.**

Chapter Four- Family Traditions

*September 23rd 1947, Minerva's second year*

"Thank you all for coming out in this horrible weather!" Evangeline Wilson said happily. Today was the day of the Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts, and the new captain could not be more excited. Over 30 Gryffindors had braved the stormy skies and made it onto the pitch even though there were only three positions open: two chasers and a seeker.

Minerva watched her brother stand proudly next to Evangeline. Nathaniel was a chaser- the only one remaining from the previous year. Minerva thought this was good as it gave the Gryffindor team a chance to rebuild after their disappointing last place finish in the spring. She desperately wanted to make this team. It would make Nathaniel happy, and Esmeralda would be so pleased to see her sister out on the pitch. After her accident in the winter, Esmeralda could no longer play the sport she loved. Minerva was determined to make this team so that she could redeem her sister. If Ekaterina made the Slytherin team, which Minerva was sure she would (even if it was just based on her looks), then she wanted to be the one to beat her.

"I want everyone trying out for the chasers on the left side of me, and everyone wanting to be a seeker on the right. Anyone who is undecided can go in between them." Evangeline motioned for the applicants to spread out. Minerva stayed in the middle. She knew from practicing with her siblings that she was good at either position, and she wanted to show her talents at each.

"First, I want to see the chasers. We only have one left from last year, so I want to see that you can follow Nathaniel's lead. For the try-outs today, you will be doing basic drills: tossing the quaffle back and forth, dodging bludgers, scoring exercises, and so on and so forth. Everyone on the left and in the middle, follow me onto the pitch. If you're waiting to try for a seeker, go sit in the seats surrounding the pitch." Evangeline began try-outs.

Minerva followed the crowd. She mounted her broom and lifted herself into the air. With a deep breath, she smiled. Minerva loved the way the world looked from up on her broomstick. She did a few warm-up laps, and then waited for Evangeline's instructions.

"Get into groups of three!" Evangeline struggled to be heard over the pounding rain. "Grab a quaffle, and start passing it back and forth! I want to see accurate passes while maintaining good position. Go!"

The captain flew around the pitch, overseeing the exercises. A clipboard and quill hovered beside her, allowing her notes on the tryouts to be recorded without Evangeline taking her eyes off of the flying Gryffindors.

Minerva was having the time of her life. She was easily catching every pass that was being thrown at her. Nathaniel flew up to her and gave her a nudge.

"You're breaking my concentration!" Minerva grunted, throwing the quaffle back to her partner.

"I just wanted to tell you you're doing really well. Keep it up and we'll be practicing together." Nathaniel winked at his sister and flew off to talk to Evangeline.

Minerva beamed and worked even harder. Before she knew it, Evangeline was blowing her whistle. "Thank you everyone! If you were only interested in being a chaser, please fly down to the bleachers. Everyone wanting to be seeker, fly up here!"

There was a flurry of activity as everyone rushed to obey the captain's orders. Once the seekers were up in the air, Evangeline's whistle could be heard once again. Minerva turned around and listened to her new instructions.

"This will work a bit differently. The remaining team members and I will throw a snitch out onto the field. In groups of four, you'll fly and try to catch any one of the snitches released. Your goal is to be the first one to catch a snitch. If you hear the whistle, it means that someone else has caught a snitch. Now, find three other people, and get together. Ready? First group, GO!" Evangeline, along with the three veterans, threw a snitch.

Minerva waited anxiously. The others in her group looked much older than herself. She was starting to get worried; she was most likely completely inexperienced compared to her competition. When it was time for her group to go, Nathaniel looked at her and winked. On Evangeline's "GO!", Nathaniel threw the snitch as far as he could, and it went zooming across the pitch.

Quickly turning around, Minerva lowered herself closer to her broom to go faster. She was going very quickly, and only practice and determination kept her from hitting other Gryffindors as she went whizzing by. She hadn't heard Evangeline's whistle, so she knew no one else had retrieved a snitch.

Minerva's snitch took a sharp turn and was heading towards the castle. She followed it, narrowly missing a tree. Her snitch was quickly losing height. Minerva zoomed towards it in one final act of desperation, her right hand extended. With sheer skill, she caught the snitch and turned herself upside down and upright again. She breathed deeply and looked at the window she had almost hit. Minerva was surprised to see Professor Dumbledore waving up at her. She waved back, wiped the rain off her cheek, and turned to the pitch again. Realizing she had a chance to win, Minerva sped up.

"I've got it! I have my snitch!" Minerva yelled breathlessly once she was within Evangeline's hearing range.

"Good job. I saw where that went. Not an easy job." Evangeline nodded approvingly. "It would seem you have your brother's talents for the game. Nicely done, McGonagall."

She blew the whistle. "Round up, everyone! Get up here!" She waited to be joined by the thirty other Gryffindors. "I personally want to thank you all for coming out today. It shows that you aren't fazed by much, even a hard-hitting thunderstorm. I'll make my decision with the rest of the remaining members of the team, and then I have to run it by Professor Dumbledore. He'll proof it, make sure those chosen are academically eligible, and then hang it up in the Common Room whenever he's done. Once again, thank you!"

Minerva flew over to Evangeline. "Thanks for the opportunity." She said, shaking the captain's hand.

"You're welcome, McGonagall." Evangeline nodded at Minerva before flying away.

Four days after the tryouts, Minerva walked into the Common Room with Aidan. They exited out of the portrait to find a crowd at the bulletin boards.

"What is going on? I've never seen such a huddle." Aidan stood on the tips of his toes, trying to see the bulletin boards.

"The team!" Minerva whisper-screamed. "Aidan, it's the quidditch team!"

"Oh!" Aidan realized how much this meant to his friend. "Good luck, Min!"

"Should I wait until the crowd starts to disappear, or should I go now? Aidan, what do I do?" Minerva started to hyperventilate.

"I would calm down, Miss McGonagall." Professor Dumbledore appeared over the pair, eyes twinkling. "I put the list up. I approved it. You could just ask me."

"Well, Professor, what happens if I didn't make that? Then I couldn't hide my disappointment. I couldn't cry in peace, because I would surely start the second I saw the pity in your eyes, and-" Minerva started to panic.

"Min! Calm down. That's not helping at all." Aidan gave Minerva a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Miss McGonagall, you have nothing to worry about. When you see the list, you will find your name written on it, along with your position: seeker and, if needed, alternate chaser. Congratulations." Professor Dumbledore winked and walked out the portrait door.

"You did it! You did it Min! And not only are you a seeker, you have an alternate position! That's never happened before." Aidan's eyes sparkled with happiness for his best friend.

"I did. I actually did it." Minerva's eyes lit up with confidence and self-pride. "This year is going to be an exciting one- just you wait."

A/N: Not my greatest chapter, and not my longest either, but I wanted to get an update out. Remember, reviews = better and longer chapters that are updated faster. Thank you for reading my dears, and I hope you liked it!


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Here it is! I'm excited about this one- it's a twist that I'm not sure people are expecting. I hope you like this one as much as I do! Again, sorry it took so long, but with me moving, I haven't had much time to work on this. Also, it came to my attention that in the last chapter I called Minerva's sister Rowena. This has been fixed so if any of you were confused, it's cleared up now. :)

**Disclaimer: Sadly, not mine.**

Chapter Five - Abnormalities and Foreign Wizards

*October 28th, 1950*

"I have a very grand announcement to make." Professor Dippet began. "As I told you earlier this week, we have guests joining us for dinner. Our guests come from two other acclaimed magical institutions: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. They should be arriving soon. In the meantime, eat." He waved his hands and large piles of warm food appeared on the house tables.

"Why do you think they are coming?" Aidan asked, taking a steak from the platter in the middle of the table. "We only ever get steak for special occasions."

"I honestly have no idea. I asked Esmeralda, but she didn't know. Rowena asked her mother and father, and she said that they haven't replied to her letter yet. This all seems very fishy to me." Minerva took a ladle and poured herself some chicken noodle soup. "Maybe we're doing an exchange to a different school."

"I would never do that." Aidan shook his head and took a large gulp of pumpkin juice. "I couldn't leave Hogwarts. Not voluntarily."

"We all have to leave eventually, Aidan. After this year, we only have two years left. Then we're on our own." Minerva said, sipping her soup.

"Be that as it may, I don't want to leave before I'm supposed to." Aidan piled mashed potatoes on his plate. "Besides, I-"

He was interrupted by the sound of a spoon hitting one of the golden goblets. The pair looked up to see Professor Dumbledore tapping his spoon on his cup. "Listen up! Professor Dippet has something to say."

Professor Dippet stood up and walked to the podium. "I believe our guests have arrived. If you would, please join me in welcoming the ladies of Beauxbaxtons Academy!"

Each student in the Great Hall turned towards the doors. After a few seconds, they opened up with a gust of warm wind. Light, captivating music started to play from a mysterious location. Lines of beautiful young women started to enter the Hall, and everyone gasped. These girls were impeccable- not a hair out of place or an unglossed pair of lips in sight.

"Woah." Aidan choked on his steak as the girls took two steps, then curtsied, and repeated.

"They must use glamour charms to look that perfect." Minerva scoffed, eyes narrowing over her glass of pumpkin juice.

All of a sudden, the music sped up. The ladies of Beauxbatons took it in stride, and started to prance across the length of the Great Hall. At a break in the music, they each spun, their blue cloaks disappearing to reveal a light, shimmery blue gymnast's dress. Once again, the music started to build. This time, the girls begun flipping and somersaulting their way down the floor. As the song was nearing a crescendo, a stunning brunette appeared out of the mist. She waved her arms, and the music stopped at once.

"Bonjour Hogwarts! Je m'appelle Madame Dubois, the Headmistress of the Beauxbatons Academy." The brunette stepped forward, walking as she talked about the history of her "prestigious school". Minerva could see that if one got close enough to Madame Dubois, a few wrinkles were apparent.

"Thank you for that stunning display, Madame Dubois!" Professor Dippet beamed when the Headmistress arrived at the head table. "Ladies, take a seat wherever you please. And now, for the men of Durmstrang!" He gestured to the doors, which flung open with a force so strong that a few of the food platters and goblets were upside down.

The students were all in the same outfits, much like the Beauxbatons ladies. The men's outfits, however, were the complete opposite. They wore dark red and black dress robes with a long, swooping cloak flowing behind them. Each student held a long staff in their right hand. It was clear to Minerva that there would be no fancy presentation from this school: instead, their tactic of impression was intimidation.

A man in white dress robes stepped forward, pushing his own students out of the way as he passed. Once he reached the Head Table, he spun around and flung his arms outward. "I present the men of Durmstrang!"

Polite clapping could be heard as the Durmstrang students sat down at various tables in the Hall. Professor Dippet stepped forward and shook the Headmaster's hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Headmaster of Durmstrang, Professor Torin. Thank you, Headmaster, for that display." With a nod, Headmaster Torin took his seat at the Head Table.

"Now, I'm sure you're all curious as to why these two schools will be staying here for the duration of the school year. Let me put all your suspicions to rest by saying that this year Hogwarts has the pleasure of hosting the Triwizard Tournament!" Professor Dippet announced grandly.

Minerva turned to Aidan with a mixed look of horror and surprise. She had hoped she would never have to encounter this Tournament. Her mother had been in school when Hogwarts had last hosted, and Mrs. McGonagall had said that it was both a blessing and a curse on the schools and contestants.

"How could they do this Aidan?" Minerva asked her friend. "People have died! Why would they bring this back? It endangers everyone!"

"I don't know, Min." Aidan shook his head. "But I'm excited!" With those words, he turned to his friend Jake and started coming up with ways to ensure they got picked as a champion.

"Quiet, students!" Professor Dippet called for attention. "This Tournament is one of great magical history. The winner will be forever remembered as one of the strongest, most intelligent students to ever graduate from one of these three educational institutions. Any student of any age is allowed to enter his or her name into the Goblet, but please take heed: if your name is chosen by the Goblet of Fire, then there is no backing out. Entering your name means you agree to compete in each of the three challenges, even if you're deathly afraid of what lies ahead. Be cautious. On a lighter note, I feel compelled to mention that the winner of the Triwizard Tournament will not only get to hoist the majestic Triwizard Cup into the air, but they will also win five hundred galleons!"

At this, Minerva's ears perked up. The money could prove useful to her. She could travel after she was done at Hogwarts, or buy a nice bungalow close to her future job. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"Min! Min!" Rowena raced over from the Ravenclaw table, breathless. "Are you going to put your name in? Are you going to enter?"

"I don't know, Ro." Minerva ran her hand through her hair. "The money would be nice, but the dangers of entering are so apparent and scary, to be perfectly honest."

"If anyone could do it, you could." Rowena smiled at her friend. "I think I'll enter. The response to the letter I sent my parents just came. It seems they knew about the Tournament, so they delayed their response. They expect me to enter. They think that it would do well to have a direct descendant of one of the founders representing our school. I'll never get chosen, though."

"Don't say that!" Aidan turned around and faced the girls. "You never know what could happen. The Goblet is smart, you know. It could look at your name and sense your blood lineage. You may be the best contender from Hogwarts based on that alone."

"Why, thank you, Aidan." Rowena blushed slightly. "I'm just worried that if I'm chosen, it will be hard to balance studying for my OWLs along with training for the Tournament."

"I didn't even think about that!" Minerva gasped. "That settles it, then. I'm not doing it."

"Come on, Min! Five hundred galleons! Think of the things you could do with that money! It's life-changing!" Aidan protested.

"Yes, but if you die trying to win it, you won't have a life to change, now will you?" Minerva questioned smartly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention once more?" Professor Dippet commanded, sounding annoyed. Once it was quiet enough, he spoke again. "You have until next Friday evening to enter your name into the Goblet. On that night, the Goblet will choose the contestants for this year's Tournament! Everyone, to your dormitories!"

There was a large amount of noise as everyone stood up. The Beauxbatons ladies went back outside to their carriages, and the students of Durmstrang went to board their ship. Minerva motioned for Aidan to go to the Common Room ahead of her, and she went off to find her sister. It was easy to spot Esmeralda; her crutches hindered her ability to move from the Ravenclaw table quickly.

"Esmeralda!" Minerva hurried over to her sister. "What do you think?"

"Well, I'm not going to enter. You know that after my accident I'm not the best runner or flier. I'm on crutches, for Merlin's sake! I'd rather not be forced into a wheelchair. Are you going to enter?" Esmeralda started to limp her way from the table and towards her Common Room.

"I don't know. The money would be nice, but that goes without saying. I don't want to have to deal with the Tournament during the year of my OWLs, though. I need your advice, Em." Minerva admitted.

"I'd do it if I were you. You can run, and you're one of the best fliers Hogwarts has ever seen." Esmeralda stopped walking to give her sister a small smile. "It's no secret you're a bloody genius, Min- nothing would get past you. And the money, that would help. I'm sure you know poor Nathaniel is renting out a flat with the other Ministry interns. You don't get to choose your roommates if it's paid for by the Ministry; Nate can't afford anything else. If you were to win the money, you could completely avoid that whole ordeal and buy yourself a nice cottage. Or a bungalow, or a flat, or whatever suits your fancy!"

"I don't want to die though, Em. This Tournament is dangerous. It has a way of unfolding in ways that one normally wouldn't expect." Minerva doubted her sister. "I don't want to be a disappointment to Ma and Pa."

"Oh, Min! You could never be a disappointment! Prefect, smartest person in her year, and a shoo in for Quidditch captain next year. Trust me, you are the perfect child." Esmeralda gave her sister a joking nudge on the shoulder. "I'm going to my Common Room. I'll see you later. Just remember, Min- this decision is yours to make, and yours alone."

Four Days Later

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to put my name in the Goblet of Fire." Minerva decidedly informed Aidan and Rowena as they walked out of Potions class. "I'll do it right now, before we go to dinner. Have you done it already?"

"I have." Aidan nodded. "I was bloody nervous before I did it, too."

"My slip is in the pocket in my bag. I was going to enter it after dinner, but I can do it now." Rowena said.

"Beautiful." Minerva rounded the corner and entered the Great Hall. She walked up to the Goblet of Fire and opened her bag. Minerva retrieved a piece of parchment and a quill. On the parchment she wrote: _Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts_.

"There!" Minerva said, throwing it into the Goblet. It emitted purple and red flames, bathing Minerva in warmth. "My fate is in Heaven's hands now."

Rowena then stepped up and put her name in. "May the most deserving Hogwarts champion be chosen!"

Friday Evening

"The moment you've all been waiting for has finally arrived!" Professor Dippet said grandly. "Tonight is the night where we find out who our Champions are!" The Great Hall was suddenly filled with deafening noise.

"If you'll please settle down, I believe the Goblet is ready to choose the first Champion!" Professor Dippet walked up to the Goblet, which was now alight with silver and blue flames. The Hall was instantly silenced as the first piece of parchment flew out of the Goblet and into his hands. "The Beauxbatons champion is... Lavinia Fontaine!"

A young girl, supposedly Lavinia, stood up and walked to the front of the Hall. She was beautiful, hair of deep chestnut plaited in a single French braid. Her bright blue eyes stood out against her pale complexion, and her smile was blinding. The girls in the Hall rolled their eyes as every male student gaped at her. Professor Dippet shook her hand, and motioned for her to enter the Staff Room.

"The Durmstrang champion is..." Professor Dippet snatched the second piece of paper out of the air. "Jeffery Moriarty!"

Jeffery rose from his place at the Ravenclaw table. He walked slowly, giving Minerva perfect time to gawk at him. His skin was tanned, and his dark hair seemed to shine with confidence.

"Stop staring, Min." Aidan grumbled. "He's just a guy."

"Like you didn't gaze after Lavinia as she walked off into the Staff Room." Minerva huffed and turned back towards the front of the Hall.

"Now, I believe the only one left to be announced is the Hogwarts cham-" Professor Dippet began, only to be cut off by the noise of the Goblet. A bright, multicoloured light shone throughout the Great Hall. Not one, but two pieces of parchment flew throughout the air. The two pieces weaved around each other, their flames seemingly hissing at the other. They both landed in Professor Dippet's hands.

"Ekaterina Romanov!" Professor Dippet yelled, his confusion shining through. "And Minerva McGonagall!"

Minerva gasped. She was torn between standing up and running back to her dormitory. How was it that two Hogwarts champions were chosen? And what were the odds that it was her and Ekaterina? Minerva looked up at the Head Table. Ekaterina had already flounced up, her curls bouncing with every step. Minerva's eyes found Professor's Dumbledore's, and in his look he conveyed that she had to step forward.

She slowly stood up, eyes down. Aidan gave her a little push and nodded towards the Head Table. Minerva felt everyone's eyes on her as she walked. She shook Professor Dippet's hand, and quickly maneuvered her way into the staff room.

"Funny, isn't it?" Ekaterina was lounged across a love seat. "Vhy vere ve both chosen, Minerva?"

"I don't know the answer to your question, Ekaterina." Minerva gritted her teeth and moved to stand beside Jeffery and Lavinia.

There was a sudden slamming of doors and the students looked nervously at each other. Professors Dippet and Dumbledore, Headmaster Torin and Headmistress Dubois were running down the stairs, each yelling at one of the others.

Headmistress Dubois went up to Ekaterina and Minerva and pulled them aside. "Did either of you do this? Did either of you intentionally rig it so that Hogwarts would have two Champions?"

"No, m'am." Both girls shook their head.

"If I may, Madame, let me just say I do not think either of these girls would do such a thing." Professor Dippet said.

"You just want to defend the honour of your school!" Headmaster Torin threw his hands up. "Of course a _Hogwarts_ student is always honourable!"

"If I may, Headmaster, then I feel obligated to mention that Professor Dippet's judgement in character is correct in one of these cases. Minerva McGonagall is one of our top students, a Quidditch player worthy of the World Cup, and a gentle soul. She would never pull a stunt like this. Ekaterina, on the other hand-" Professor Dumbledore rose to Minerva's defense.

"Thank you, Albus." Professor Dippet placed a warning hand on Professor Dumbledore's shoulder. "Miss McGonagall, Miss Romanov. Did you both put Hogwarts down as your school name on your parchment?"

"Yes, sir." The girls answered in sync.

"Then I see no other reasonable explanation other than the Goblet wanted each of these girls to compete. I'm not saying that's fair, but when a name comes out of the Goblet, there is no backing out. And besides, which student would we choose not to compete? What is a fair way to determine that? They both had their name chosen by the Goblet." Professor Dippet had a smile on his face, sure that his naive explanation made sense.

"Fine." Headmistress Dubois shrugged. "I would say the same if it had happened to my school. But I swear, if anything funny happens, if your two girls remain unscathed throughout the competitions, there will be hell to pay!" She walked out of the room. "Vient ici, Lavinia!"

Lavinia followed her teacher out of the room. With a jerky head motion, Headmaster Torin beckoned for Jeffery to leave the room as well. Professor Dippet looked at the now nearly empty room and said, "You girls should be getting off to bed as well. It's been a long day for us all." He left, and Ekaterina followed suit.

"Miss McGonagall, would you like to join me in my office for a glass of hot chocolate?" Professor Dumbledore offered.

"I'd prefer tea, but yes, that would be lovely, thank you." Minerva smiled and walked alongside her professor.

They walked in silence to his office. Minerva was grateful for it: she didn't know what to say. Once the pair reached the classroom, Professor Dumbledore motioned for her to go in front. She smiled and walked into his office. Upon her arrival, Minerva immediately frowned and transfigured one of the chairs into a hard, wooden chair.

"Old habits die hard, it would seem." Professor Dumbledore shut the door behind her with a smile. "Mimsy?"

Mimsy appeared in between the two and bowed. "You called, Master?"

"A cup of hot chocolate for me, and a cup of ginger tea for Miss McGonagall would be lovely." Professor Dumbledore smiled down at his elf. It seemed that as soon as the words had left his lips, the drinks were already on his desk.

Professor Dumbledore took a sip of his hot chocolate. "Ahh, that's better."

Minerva shook her head at his sugar obsession and took her cup in her hands, tracing the rim with her finger. "Thank you, Professor."

"It's my pleasure, my dear. Now, I feel obligated to ask: how do you feel?" Professor Dumbledore inquired gently.

"Feel about what? The fact that I was chosen? I expected that if I were chosen, then I would feel some shock. I did not think, however, that my shock would be at the fact that there was another Hogwarts champion chosen. In my wildest nightmares I never would have imagined it. And the fact that it's Ekaterina! That's just salt in the wound, Professor." Minerva exhaled wearily before downing her tea in one gulp. "I only entered my name in this stupid Tournament so that I wouldn't end up like Nate, stuck with noisy roommates, and I knew Esmeralda wanted to enter but she couldn't because of her leg, and -"

"Calm down, my dear." Professor Dumbledore used the term of endearment, knowing from experience that at moments like these they were the only words she would listen to. Sure enough, Minerva looked up sheepishly. "You'll be fine, Miss McGonagall. I meant what I said in the staff room. You have talents some only dream of! Only the ignorant and cocky have anything to fear in regards to the Tournament. If it makes matters any easier, know I can be of some assistance."

"I thought Professors were forbidden from helping their champion?" Minerva asked.

"In a typical Tournament, yes, but this is anything but a regular year. I can guarantee that Torin and Dubois will be offering assistance to Mr Moriarty and Miss Fontaine simply because they'll want an advantage if we have two champions competing from Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore explained.

"I think that's a clever cover up, Professor." Minerva laughed. "You know I'm your favourite student."

"That may be true, but I can hardly say that in public to defend myself, now can I?" Professor Dumbledore beamed, his eyes twinkling.

"I suppose not, no." Minerva smiled. There was a moment where their eyes connected, where the stress of the day disappeared, and all seemed calm. It was only broken by the sound of the night bell, warning students to head to their dormitories.

"I suppose you best be leaving, Miss McGonagall." Professor Dumbledore stood up, not meeting her eyes.

"Yes, of course. Thank you for the tea, and for offering to help." Minerva rose and turned to the door. "I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

"Unless something unexpected happens, then yes, you will." Professor Dumbledore finally lifted his gaze to meet hers.

"I wouldn't count on it then, Professor, seeing as today was full of abnormalities." Minerva gave a wry smile before exiting the office, wishing for a day in the near future where there could be a connection like that between them again.

A/N: Hope you liked this twist! R & R and let me know what you thought. I'm on holiday until the 5th, but I'll try and write a chapter on my iPod so that I can update as soon as I get home. :)


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Back from vacation! Tried to do this as soon as possible. This chapter is purely MMAD fluff, a bit of a filler really, but I wanted to make a progression in their relationship before I continued on with the plot. Hope you like it! :)

**Disclaimer: I was cheering for Canada at the Olympics, not Great Britain.**

Chapter Six: It's All in a Glance

*February 21st, 1951*

"I don't think that could have gone much better, do you?" Professor Dumbledore beamed down at his weary, sweaty student. "You placed first in today's event! Why, that means you've tied Miss Fontaine for first place heading into the last task, my dear!"

Hints of a blush could be seen through the mud on Minerva's cheeks. "I must say I liked this task a lot better than the first. I would much rather run through yards of a swampy graveyard swarming with possessed ghosts and creatures of the wild than an obstacle course."

"That obstacle course was horrendous." Professor Dumbledore frowned as he remembered it. The first task was personalized for each champion: the creatures and obstacles one faced were based on their own nightmares. "Your father's ghost chased you through each of the land, sea and air components, is that correct?"

"Sadly." Minerva shuddered, shaking the memory away. "I'm very lucky there was an air component, otherwise I fear I may have been in dead last."

"Don't be so grim, my dear!" The smile returned to her Professor's face. "Think of today's victory! Your use of the Non-Sticking charm to your entire body was brilliantly executed."

"I only thought of it because you helped me." Minerva reminded him, taking a sip of tea.

"Be that as it may, you are the one who thought to shrink yourself so that there would be less weight to heave through the mud. You also transfigured your forehead into a flashlight to help you find the keys along the way. This victory today is yours alone, my dear." Professor Dumbledore raised his tea cup in a toast before he took a drink.

"Thank you, sir." Minerva looked down. "I wonder what the keys will be used for. I know they will be needed in the third task, but what of Ekaterina, for example? She failed to retrieve the last two keys, so does that mean she'll be at a complete disadvantage for the final task? Not that I mind her being at a disadvantage, though." A smirk set upon her face. "Serves her right."

"It's never a good thing to hold grudges, my dear." Professor Dumbledore softly reminded her.

"I'm aware, but there were no lasting punishments for her. My sister is on crutches, for Merlin's sake!" Minerva sighed angrily.

"You know as well as I do that after careful reconsideration, Miss Romanov was given a year's worth of detention, and she was banned from the Slytherin Quidditch team for two years. Mr Romanov was later expelled due to him casting the spell." Professor Dumbledore reasoned.

"Yes, but why wasn't that the punishment to begin with?" Minerva stared her Professor in the eyes, clearly not backing down anytime soon.

"This is pointless to talk about, Miss McGonagall. We've been talking about it for the past four years. Professor Dippet, being a Slytherin and an avid Quidditch player, thought the prank was one with harmless intentions, one that simply went awry." Professor Dumbledore sighed. "It took me two months to convince our esteemed Headmaster that the punishment given -the one he suggested- was not enough based on the circumstances."

"I know, sir." Minerva looked down shamefully. "And I know you're tired of hearing me complain about it, but it still hurts to see her walking down the halls. It feels like I let her into my life, and consequently into Esmeralda's, and that's the reason Em can't do anything she wants."

"My dear, you must never think that!" Professor Dumbledore rested his hand atop his student's. "You never could have known that Ekaterina had such a twisted view on what is right in this world." His voice softened. "Never blame yourself, Minerva."

Minerva looked up, surprised at hearing her first name. Her eyes met her teacher's, and they simply glanced at each other. Comfort was shining through Minerva's eyes, and protection could be seen in his. Slowly, Professor Dumbledore moved closer to Minerva, their hands still intertwined. Their eyes closed. Briefly, almost as though it never happened, their lips met. Almost immediately, they pulled away, their foreheads touching.

"Professor,-" Minerva whispered.

"I think, Minerva, after that, you must call me Albus when class is not in session." A soft smile graced Albus's lips.

"Pro-, sorry, Albus, what does that mean?" Minerva asked, pulling her head away in confusion.

"What did what mean, my dear?" Albus leaned back as well, his eyes still closed, preserving the memory.

"The kiss, Albus. What does it mean?" Minerva willed him to look at her, to open his eyes. "I'm still a student."

"Which is why, Minerva, that cannot happen again until after you've graduated." Albus finally looked at her.

"Professor! I don't even know why that happened!" Minerva cried, throwing her arms up into air.

"Albus, my dear. It's Albus." He reminded her softly. "Would I be wrong in thinking that you may have had some feelings for me? Did I read the signs wrong?"

"What signs? No, you wouldn't be wrong in your assumption, but I'm just a student! I would think you could, oh I don't know, contain your feelings! If those feelings are even real and it's not just a spur of the moment type thing." Minerva slowed and looked up at him. "How did you know? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I've realized you get along with all your teachers, but you only spend extra time with me. You buy a choice few presents for Christmas, but mine is normally far more fanciful than the others. Our talks are lengthy and deep. Even when you were a first year, I could tell that you wouldn't be a typical student. Though I am somewhat ashamed to admit this, my professionalism, when it comes to you, is worn down. I tell you more than I should. When your name was drawn for this Tournament, I was distraught with worry and fear. If only I had protected you better! It was then I realized that I cared for you in a way that was not so conventional for a teacher and a student, but more suited for a relationship of a couple. I didn't want to tell you in fear of alienating you from me- in this way, my feelings for you were my biggest flaw. Merely two minutes ago my opportunity to kiss you came, and a sudden lapse in judgement caused me to act upon my feelings. I'm sorry if I've caused you any confusion, my dear." Albus confessed, head hanging low.

"Albus. As I told you when I was eleven, your skills at deducing are the reason for you being a Hatstall. You are quite right about me having certain feelings for you. I too, pushed them away in fear of making things awkward or uncomfortable. I'm just happy to hear yours are true, that they weren't a 'I see an opportunity to kiss her' type of thing. What do we do now though?" Minerva walked over to him and put her arm around him tentatively. "Is...is this alright?"

"It's fine, my dear. In answer to your first question, I think we need to refrain from acting on any of these feelings until after you're done school here. Then, I will no longer be your professor, and you no longer my pupil." Albus looked at her. "We've managed thus far, we can manage for the next year and a half."

"I think you overestimate my patience, Professor." Minerva grinned cheekily. "What happens if we're having a chess game, or a late night talk, and all I want to do is kiss you senseless? Then what happens?"

"Then we'll have a problem." Albus replied with a glint in his eye. He looked at his watch. "Oh, it's getting late, my dear. You best be off to your dormitory."

"Fine. I see how it is." Minerva stood and untangled her arm from around his body. "Now, I know we need to wait, but how about a congratulatory kiss?"

"What would I be congratulating you on? Your performance today?" Albus rose. "I can't see the harm in that. As long as we are both aware that this has to stop, then..."

He was cut off by Minerva's lips on his. Albus instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. She slipped her arms around her neck. Too soon, Albus pulled away and held her at a distance. "Patience is a good virtue, my dear."

"I suppose you're right. You usually are. I'll come by tomorrow and we can work on the third task, if that's alright." Minerva walked to the door.

"Yes, that will be fine. Good night. Sweet dreams." Albus smiled at her.

"What is the use of dreaming when my dreams already came true?" Minerva gave a blushing grin before flouncing out the door.

A/N: Not as soon as I promised, I know. Not as long as I wanted either. I hope you liked it and find it within your power to review. This chapter did not turn out as I expected, and I'm curious to see what you think. Without direction, I have no idea what you guys want to see! I'll update as soon as I can! :)


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: I wanted a really quick-ish update seeing as next week I'm moving and things have gotten quite hectic around here. I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: If it were mine, MMAD would be real.**

Chapter Seven: The Third Task

*June 2nd, 1951*

"May I come in for a word?" Minerva heard Albus's voice through her tent. She quickly rushed over and let him in. He looked around and asked his next question. "Are you all alone?"

"Yes. Jeffery, Lavinia and Ekaterina are in their own tents." Minerva sat down. "You were aware of that, weren't you?"

"Oh, yes, yes. I just wanted to know if your friends were visiting you." Albus sat down across from her.

"No, I told them I didn't want them visiting. I thought it might be a distraction. I need to concentrate on the task at hand." Minerva clasped her hands and then unclasped them. "I'm too nervous to see them."

"You shouldn't be, my dear. Soon enough, this tournament will be over. Whether you win or lose, you've been a fierce competitor. Second in the first task, first in the second! Remember how it felt before each of those tasks? Channel the butterflies into adrenaline, and you'll be fine." Albus encouraged.

"Thank you, Albus." Minerva smiled at him gratefully. "I'm not nervous to compete, I never am. Not before a quidditch match, not before these tasks. I'm scared of what I'm going to battle, what I'll have to witness."

"You're a Gryffindor." Albus stated. "I'd expect nothing less. Now, are you sure you're prepared?"

"I believe so. I have the six keys. I have my wand. We've been through every possible option of what I may face in the maze. I know the counter curses to not only the most common jinxes and hexes, but the uncommon ones as well. I've been practicing dueling, charms and transfiguration with you. I think I'm as prepared as I'll ever be, Albus." Minerva stared at him with a determined glint in her eye. "Any final advice?"

"Keep your cool. Don't lose focus. Breathe. If anything bad happens, think on your feet. Don't act rashly. Don't believe anything you don't trust right away." Albus coached.

"I wasn't planning on it, Albus." Minerva glared at him. "You should think better of me."

"I do. I'm just worried about, my dear. Have you seen your parents?" Albus asked, changing the subject.

"Father had work, so he didn't come. I doubt he would even if were free; he's typically weary of large groups of magical people. Mother is here, but I haven't seen her, no." Minerva sighed. "She wanted to meet me here, but I told her I needed to go over my strategy."

"Your mother means well." Albus glanced pointedly at her. "Oh! I thought of another thing. Last night in the staff room, Headmaster Torin and Headmistress Dubois were talking. Torin said he has no idea what the keys will be for, but I'm sure has his suspicions. Dubois claimed she told Miss Fontaine that they will be needed to unchain the Triwizard Cup, but I highly doubt that's true since she said it to her competitor."

"I'm confused." Minerva frowned. "So I'm supposed to assume that Jeffery knows exactly what he will be doing, and Lavinia does not believe that the keys will be needed to unlock the Cup?"

"Exactly!" Albus beamed. "I knew you'd understand that."

Minerva simply glared. "I'm not sure how that helps, Albus, but thank you for that piece of information nonetheless."

All of a sudden, a chiming sound could be heard throughout the tent. The pair looked at each other in silence.

"That will be the warning bell." Minerva said quietly. "I best be off to the starting line."

"Yes, of course." Albus stood up and extended his hand for Minerva. She took it gratefully and rose as well. "Good luck, my dear."

Minerva nodded and took her wand out of her sleeve. "Thank you. For everything."

"Anytime." Albus enveloped her in a hug. "You'll be fine. You are going to come out of this unscathed."

"I don't need reassurance, Albus." Minerva walked to the front of the tent and stepped outside.

"I know, but I do." Albus muttered to himself and followed her footsteps. The cool, spring air was refreshing, and calmed his nerves.

"Why, hello, Professor Dumbledore!" Professor Dippet ran up to him, his belly bouncing with every step.

"Good evening, Professor Dippet." Albus greeted his boss.

"Thank you for visiting Miss McGonagall before hand. I wanted to visit Miss Romanov, but I didn't want Miss McGonagall to feel unappreciated as she is doing quiet well representing Hogwarts in this tournament." Professor Dippet said merrily.

"It was my pleasure, sir." Albus smiled, but cringed inwardly. How dare he so blatantly disregard one of his students!

"Oh, look we're there!" Professor Dippet exclaimed. Albus looked to see each of the four champions at their individual starting lines. "If you'll excuse me, Professor, I need to go ahead and start the task." He quickly made his way to the starting bell.

Albus walked over to the seating area that was reserved for teachers. He nodded towards Headmaster Torin and Headmistress Dubois before sitting down.

"This should be an exciting task, don't you think?" Albus asked politely.

"Oui, oui!" Headmistress Dubois clapped her hands excitedly. "I am hoping for a Beauxbatons win, of course!" She laughed at her own humour. "However, I think that whoever wins will have fought a brilliant fight."

Albus was about to respond when a large, screeching sound echoed through the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen, students of all ages, I welcome to you the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament!" Professor Dippet exclaimed through a megaphone. "For those of you who don't know, this maze will test these champions in not only their skills, but their adaptability, their ability to think on their feet, and their mental endurance. With that said, I wish good luck to each and every champion. The first one to find the Triwizard Cup will be the winner!" Screams could be heard throughout the entire arena, each voice rooting for a single champion. "Miss Fontaine of Beauxbatons and Miss McGonagall of Hogwarts will enter the maze first. Mr Moriarty will be third, and Miss Romanov will bring up the rear. On the first bell, our first two champions will enter, and so on and forth. Once again, good luck!" Professor Dippet stepped down and made his way to sit beside Albus.

Albus caught Minerva's eye as she waved her wand and forced her hair up into a bun. He gave her a smile, and she gave a grim nod in return. Minerva turned and faced the maze one again, a look of determination set upon her face. With the sound of the bell, she stepped cautiously into the maze.

Minerva could hear Lavinia's footsteps and was easily able to tell that she was running. The emerald-eyed witch thought this to be quiet stupid; she would tire easily and her attention would shift from potential dangers to maintaining her pace. With a look around, Minerva was unable to detect any major threats. She took one step after another until she reached a fork in the road. Minerva smiled and took her wand out, muttering, "Dirigious maximus!"

This spell was one that she and Albus had come up with. It would be able to tell her which path held a more direct route to the centre of the maze. A large green arrow appeared to Minerva's left, and so she followed it. Distantly, she could hear another bell go off. She assumed it was the second, seeing as she hadn't heard one after she had entered.

A rustling sound took Minerva's mind off the bell sound and back to the task at hand. Wand raised, Minerva calmly looked in every direction. When she couldn't see anything, she took a step forward. Very quickly, leaves from the maze's walls started to join together in front of her and form a ghost figure.

"Welcome, dear child." The figure's voice was haunting and eerie. "You have a choice in front of you."

"What choice is that?" Minerva asked the question politely, but the arm pointing her wand was shaking with fear.

"You have options, each with its own pros and cons." The figure spoke again, this time holding up it's hand. Minerva was disgusted to find that they were made from branches. A single finger was extended. "One. You may pass freely without harm and without a fight. If you choose to do that, an innocent person in the awaiting crowds will be struck with a curse so powerful they won't move for weeks."

"The second option?" Minerva demanded, desperately hoping that there was a better option than that.

"Secondly, you can choose to duel me. If you win, I'll let you pass." The ghost-leaves figure smiled. "I should warn you, though: it will not be a battle easily won."

"Bring it on." Minerva raised her wand, but the figure was too quick for her. She felt herself be thrown back and landed on the ground with a thud.

"Uggggghhh." Minerva started to sit up, but she soon found herself back on the ground. "Ow!"

"Done yet, dearie?" The figure floated over Minerva, smiling widely. "I didn't think a Gryffindor would give up this easily, but..."

Minerva rolled to the side, narrowly missing a streak of red light. She looked to the left to see a smoking imprint on the ground she was just laying on seconds ago. Realizing she needed to make a move, Minerva somersaulted forwards three times to put distance between her and the figure. She stood up and disillusioned herself. The figure turned, looking for her. Minerva froze the figure before blasting it into tiny pieces.

She walked backwards towards the exit, just in case it came back to life. Minerva yelped when she felt a cold piece of metal digging into her back.

"What the hell?" She turned to find a lock attached to a metal gate. Minerva gasped and dug through her robes for the key ring. She tried the first key, and it didn't fit. The second and third keys didn't work either, but she struck gold with the fourth key. "Yes!"

The lock opened and the gate disappeared. A piece of paper fell into Minerva's hands. The letter "_t_" was imprinted upon it. Minerva stuffed it into a pocket in her robes and started upon the newly opened path. Somewhere in the distance, a scream could be heard. Hoping it was Ekaterina and not Lavinia or Jeffery, Minerva moved at a quicker pace, fright propelling her feet.

At each crossroad, she used the spell she had made with Albus to help her find her way. It seemed to be working, because the chanting of the crowds was becoming progressively quieter. There was a herd of dementors guarding a second gate, but Minerva easily passed through that. A letter also fell from this lock; this time it was the letter "_e_". She continued on her path until she heard a loud bang and a sinister laugh.

"HELP! HELP!" Screams followed the noises. Minerva turned and ran in the direction of the shouts.

She rounded the corner and gasped. Jeffery was on the ground, writhing in agony. "Jeffery! Jeffery! What happened?"

"She...she is a monster! Watch out!" He moaned. "Can you help me? I need to get out...get out of here!"

"Are you sure you don't want to finish the task?" Minerva asked skeptically.

"Pos...positive. I think my arm is broken." Jeffery tried to get up and winced. "Can you send some red sparks up for me?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Minerva threw her arm up with force and sent red sparks flying into the air. "Help will be here soon, Jeffery. Anything I can do?"

"Stay on your guard. Watch out for her." Jeffery groaned. "Now, go! She's probably still around here."

"But who is she?" Minerva asked.

"It doesn't matter, just go!" Jeffery gave her a kick in the foot. "Go, Minerva! Hurry!"

"Oh. Okay, okay." Minerva acquiesced and ran off in the direction she came. A little worried now that someone was physically hurt, she started to move a little faster. Soon enough, another obstacle was in her path.

"Why, hello, Miss McGonagall!" A tall, bearded misty creature appeared out of the mist. "Or, should I say, my dear?"

"What?" Minerva asked, flabbergasted. "Professor Dumbledore?"

"Why are you calling me by my official title? I thought we agreed that when meeting in private, I was to be referred to by Albus." He smiled.

"You're not the real Professor." Minerva deduced slowly. "Professors aren't allowed to enter the maze."

"That may be what we told the champions. But then again, why would we have told you about this surprise?" "Albus" smiled and his blue eyes gleamed.

Minerva started to doubt her thoughts that he was fake. No fake Albus could be so much like him, right?

"How do I get past you?" Minerva asked quietly, closing her eyes. "What do I have to do?"

"Kill me, my dear." Albus's smile grew even brighter. "All you have to do is wave your wand and kill me. You know the incantation. You know the wand movements. If you truly want to win, all you have to do is go through with it."

"They can't possibly want me to kill you, can they?" Minerva cried. "No, I can't kill you. I can't."

"Then, I suppose we're at a stalemate, now aren't we?" Albus whipped out his wand, conjured up one of his signature chintzy chairs, and sat down. "So my dear, what did you have to do thus far during the task?"

Minerva gaped at him. How could he be so calm when somewhere else in the maze, Lavinia and Ekaterina were getting closer to the cup? She recalled Albus's words before she left: "_don't believe anything you don't trust right away"_. It was with this thought Minerva realized he wasn't the real Albus.

As calmly as she could she raised her wand at the fake Albus. Even though she knew he wasn't real, the thought of killing something (especially him) still shook her to the core. "Avada Kedavra!" With a wave of her wand, the fake Albus and his chair disappeared in a cloud of green light and silver smoke. Minerva shakily stepped towards where he was standing and walked into a gate. It took her a few different keys, but she finally got the lock undone. The letter "_e_" fell into her awaiting palm.

"Another e?" Minerva clasped it and placed it in the pocket with the other two letters. Knowing that there were only three more keys, she realized that for her, the task was half over. Hoping she was farther ahead than the other two girls, Minerva directed herself again and turned to the right. She had only taken a few steps when she heard a whirring sound.

"What the...?" Minerva turned to see the walls of the maze closing in on her, starting from where she came from. She gave a little shriek and started to run.

"Ahhh!" Minerva screamed. Panting, she ran as fast as she could. The last thing she wanted to do was be enclosed by walls of grass. Minerva skidded to a stop in front of a locked gate.

"Oh, hell! Not now!" She grumbled, fishing the keys out of her robes. Quickly trying the first one that wasn't already used, Minerva looked back. The enclosing walls were getting closer to her, and they were causing gusts of wind to be blown at her.

"Crap!" Minerva cursed. The first key hadn't worked, and the second didn't seem to be fitting in the lock. Knowing she had ten seconds at best, she tried the last key. Luckily, it clicked into place right away. A piece of paper with the letter "_b_" floated down, but Minerva snatched it out of the air. Without hesitation, she stepped through the gates and snapped them shut before they disappeared. The gate grew into a large stone wall, consequently stopping the walls from caving in.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Minerva sighed, catching her breath. She slumped herself down against the stone, hoping for a second or two of peace before getting up again. Unluckily for her, a loud wail could be heard at a close distance. Minerva stood up, turned the corner and found Lavinia woven into the maze walls.

"Lavinia?" Minerva asked in amazement. "What happened to you?"

"I thought it was a challenge." Lavinia struggled against the confining ropes. "I was too slow, I am now stuck. Send up red sparks for me si vous plait, and get to the cup as fast as you can."

Minerva sent up red sparks for the second time that night. Scared that something fishy was going on, she cast her guiding spell and quickly made her way out of the general vicinity.

There was a long stretch where nothing happened. No sounds could be heard, and no obstacles crossed Minerva's path. Soon, she got lost in her thoughts. All she could think about was Ekaterina, and how she was the last remaining competitor other than herself. Minerva desperately wanted this contest to end- to go back to her normal life, to study for her OWLs like her friends had been doing. Peacefully walking along, she didn't notice a long, black furry leg coming across her path.

"EW!" Minerva cried as she came into contact with the spider. "Oh, bludger, I hate spiders!"

The spider started slowly walking towards her. After about ten seconds, it duplicated and another appeared. Screaming, Minerva stood still in fright. Soon enough, a third spider popped out of nowhere.

"They must be duplicating after a certain time!" Minerva realized aloud. She quickly Stunned each of the spiders before continuing on her way. A gate appeared. With only two keys left to try, Minerva unlocked it easily. The fifth letter that floated down was "_s_". She slipped it into her pocked and began walking.

"Not so fast, McGonagall." A voice came from the distance. Minerva turned to see Ekaterina stepping over the spiders' carcasses. "You vill not get avay from me."

"What do you want, Ekaterina?" Minerva demanded. "Let me go my way, and I'll go yours. Whoever gets to the Cup first wins, end of story."

"No. Not end of story." Ekaterina twirled her wand in her fingers. "You see, I vant to destroy you, not just beat you."

"Why?" Minerva pointed her wand at her old friend. "If anything, I should be the one mad at you."

"You got me banned from Quidditch! You got my brother kicked out of Hogvarts! You ruined my family." Ekaterina's eyes narrowed into slits. "I've already taken care of Jeffery and Lavinia. Now it is your turn. Crucio!"

Minerva felt herself flying backwards. There was unbearable pain, pain that made her want to claw her eyeballs out. Her scalp was on fire, her chest ached, she couldn't breathe. Slowly, the pain subsided.

"Get up and fight, McGonagall. I vant you to think you have a chance." Ekaterina pointed her wand at Minerva again, but the Gryffindor was to quick. She rolled over and moved behind a corner. Closing her eyes, Minerva cast another spell she had thought up with Albus. This one would allow her to see where things were that she wouldn't be able to see with her eyes open. A picture came into focus. Ekaterina was walking towards Minerva, so quickly that Minerva had to act-

"Stupefy!" Minerva shouted, dodging a spell sent by Ekaterina. She chanced a look around the corner to see that her opponent was lying on the ground, seemingly dead. Kicking her stomach for good measure, Minerva smirked. Then, she felt something curling around her feet. Tree branches were coming out from underneath the walls, attempting to pull Minerva down. Acting quickly, Minerva conjured a ladder, and climbed it. Once she was high enough, she flipped it sideways and walked across, getting herself safely out of the danger zone.

"Vhat..vhat is happening?" Ekaterina's groggy voice made Minerva turn around. "Ahhh! I am covered in branches!" She struggled but could not break free. "Minerva, help me! Help me!"

Minerva laughed. "Not a chance." With a wave of her wand, Minerva placed a blindfold over Ekaterina's eyes, and one in her mouth so that she couldn't talk. "Have fun getting out!"

She walked away with a smile on her face when realization hit. Her three opponents were out of the way. If Minerva could make it to the cup, then she would win. This thought gave her renewed hope and energy as she ran into the next obstacle. Without even hesitating, Minerva Stunned the herd of gnomes, slugs, and Cornish pixies, allowing her to move freely on to the last gate. Using the only key left, the lock clicked open and the final letter fell into her hand: _d_.

Minerva followed the path until she saw a glowing light. There, right in front of her, was the Triwizard Cup. Beaming at the sight, Minerva sprinted towards it. When she was nearly there, a gate appeared once more, this time with a lock, a card and a timer.

"What is this?" Minerva wondered, picking up the card. The front of it read: _Open me to discover your last task. Be warned: the timer will start immediately._ Knowing it was now or never, Minerva opened the card. Sure enough, the timer started ticking.

"_Solve the riddle below before the timer is done,_

_and the Cup you will have won._

_RIDDLE:_

_Letters you collected along the way_

_now hold the key to your rewarding pay._

_Use them to spell out a certain word,_

_one that means the others you have spurred._

_Your hint is this: _

_What happens when you win,_

_what have you done to to the others- _

_you are the what of this contest?_

_You guess the right word and the cup is yours,_

_Choose wrongly and you will not make it through this door."_

"What?" Minerva reread the card, hoping to catch something she hadn't understood the first time. "What does this mean?"

She retrieved the letters from her pocket and made them float in the air. Minerva used her wand to switch their order around. Nothing was coming to mind, and the timer's insistent ticking was becoming annoying.

"'The others you have spurred.'" Minerva thought aloud. "What the hell does that mean? I would have beat them...beat! But, there's no 'a'. 'You are the what of this contest?' The winner, the first place finisher, the best? The best! The best! You would have _bested_ the others! You are the best of the contest! Yes! Yes!"

Minerva went to the lock and looked closely at it for the first time. Instead of a hole for the key, there were dials, each with the six letters collected along the way. Minerva spun them so that they read "bested", prayed she wasn't wrong, and pulled on the lock. It opened, and like before, the gate disappeared, making Minerva's way to the Cup clear.

"YES! YES, YES YES!" Minerva screamed. She ran to the Cup and lunged at it, cradling it in her arms. Two seconds later, her world started spinning. '_What is going on_?' she thought.

Minerva landed on the ground with a thud. She looked up to see the starting lines of the maze. Realizing she was out of the maze, Minerva stood up and hoisted the Cup into the air, beaming.

The crowd roared. Shouts of "Minnie! Minnie!" could be heard, and the students of Hogwarts were alight with pride. Minerva caught the eyes of her sister and mother, the former of which gave her a thumbs up, and the latter blew her a kiss. Though their praise would mean a lot to her, Minerva only had eyes for Albus. He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling. She knew that there would be a talk between them about what happened in the maze, but for now Minerva only wanted to bask in the glory of her win.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! This is my longest chapter yet, and it took a lot out of me. Now, I'm moving next week and won't have access to internet for a little while. School is also starting soon, so I'll try my hardest to update within the next two weeks. Please review, it really will encourage me! :)


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: I was so happy with the positive response for the last chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it meant a lot. I hope you all like this one just as much! Again, sorry for the wait, but as I warned, I've had a lot to deal with.

**Disclaimer: Characters and setting belong to Ms. Rowling.**

Chapter Eight: The Act of Debriefing

*June 3rd, 1951*

"I'm glad you agreed to tea before your big ceremony, my dear." Albus sipped a cup of his own hot chocolate. "I just wanted to talk to you, see how you're feeling after yesterday."

"Tired." Minerva answered honestly. "And sore. But mostly tired."

Albus chuckled. "I don't blame you for that, my dear. You're the only champion who made it out. Start at the beginning, I want to know everything."

"Well, in the maze, there were these obstacles that you had to beat in order to continue on your path." Minerva began. "The obstacles normally appeared when the rest of the path was locked by a gate. The gates each had a lock, and those could be unlocked with the keys from the second task."

"Ingenious!" Albus exclaimed. "That use of the keys never even crossed my mind. What was the first thing obstructing your path?"

"It was this creepy figure." Minerva shuddered at the memory. "It was made from the leaves of the maze, and its fingers were branches. She -I think it was a she- forced me to make a choice. I could have passed freely, without a fight, but she would have cursed an unsuspecting person in the crowds. My second option was to duel her myself."

"I'm assuming you chose the first option." Albus leaned forward. "Was your duel easily won?"

Minerva shook her head. "No. She caught me off guard. The figure was quick too, almost blasted me into smithereens. I ended up rolling forward and Stunning her. When I unlocked the gate, a letter floated into my palm."

"What were the letters to be used for?" Albus inquired. "Was it a riddle? I like riddles."

"Relax, Albus." Minerva laughed. "You sound like a child! I'll tell you later, that didn't come until the end. Anyways, the note had the letter _t_ imprinted on it." Minerva proceeded to tell Albus about her easy encounter with the dementors. "After I passed them, though, I had to deal with Jeffery."

"What do you mean, deal with?" Albus frowned and leaned forward. "Did he intentionally harm you?"

"No, no, nothing of the sort." Minerva waved her hand. "He was hurt, rolling around in the grass."

"You mean his arm injury, the one that Madam Goldman treated after we found him?" Albus inquired.

"I suppose that would be it, yes." Minerva took a sip of tea and continued on. "After I attended to Jeffery, I had a most...interesting encounter."

"Who did you meet?" Albus looked grim. When Minerva was silent for a few moments, he spoke again. "Minerva. Who did you meet and what did they say to you?"

"Well, I actually met you." Minerva looked into his eyes and held his gaze. "You appeared out of the mist, much like the first creature I faced."

"I was afraid of this!" Albus stood and paced. "What were my words?"

"Um, you said I needed to kill you." Minerva winced at the memory, not wanting to relive it.

"Did I say anything else, anything that may or may not have been personal between us?" Albus turned towards his student, eyes ablaze.

"Just that I was to call you Albus in private, and that you called me "my dear". Why?" Minerva glanced up curiously.

"Two nights ago, before the task began, Professor Dippet issued a meeting. He said that each champion would be facing someone in the maze, someone they hold dear to them. Lavinia's mother and Jeffery's brother were to be chosen. With Ekaterina's brother banned from the grounds, her sisters in Russia, and her parents unable to attend, Professor Dippet stepped in. Someone needed to be chosen for you. I suggested your mother, but when contacted she said her appearance would unnerve you as you often disagree, and Esmeralda refused. Nathaniel couldn't be reached. Knowing that we get along quite well, Professor Dippet nominated me to meet you in the task.

"I wasn't happy about it, but I obliged. We were scanned by Madam Goldman, so she could use some of our DNA and our memories to create believable figures. I was worried as to what information she would divulge. Luckily, that doesn't seem to be too incriminating, now does it?" Albus looked at Minerva, who was frowning at him. "What, my dear?"

"Don't you scare me like that ever again Albus Dumbledore! I thought something was seriously wrong!" Minerva transfigured her tea cup into a pillow and threw it at him. "Merlin's beard!"

"Well, I had to be sure that our secret was safe! If not, I would have had to go modify a few memories, and very quickly. Now, tell me about the rest of the task." Albus sat down, folded his hands together and smiled at his student.

Minerva glared at him with such venom that he felt chills. After making her point very clear, she continued on with the story. He gasped and yelled in all the right places. She didn't tell him about the Ekaterina ordeal; she wanted to save the scolding he would most certainly give her for a date when she had the strength. Nearing the end of her story, Minerva wrapped it up while still giving as many details as she deemed necessary.

"So then I solved the riddle and was free to run at the Cup. I grabbed it, and was transported to the starting line. I'm sure you know what happened from then on out." Minerva leaned back exasperated. "I can't believe I'm asking this, but do you have any questions?"

"No, none at all, my dear," Albus beamed and then added as an afterthough, "but I am quite shocked that is what the keys were for!"

"That is exactly why they were used for that purpose, I would presume." Minerva smirked. "Oh, heavens, is that the time? I need to make my way down to the Great Hall."

"It would seem our meeting must come to an end," Albus said, as he too noticed the clock. "Although before we go and you become a celebrity who will most likely be hounded for the rest of the night-"

"Ugh don't remind me!" Minerva interjected.

Albus smiled and continued on. "I would just like to say how very proud I am of you and how you are absolutely deserving of that Cup, the money, and the title. Congratulations, my dear." He wrapped her in a hug and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I am so very happy for you."

"Thank you, Albus." Minerva looked up into his sapphire eyes. "This means the world to me."

"Now, go to your celebration! You mustn't be kept occupied by an old coot like me any longer! We've done our debriefing, now you must go and repeat your story for the rest of the wizarding world." Albus gave her a gentle push towards the doorway.

"Why, Albus, you're not an old coot! And besides, that's not the type of debriefing I like to think about when I think of you, but it will have to do, won't it?" Minerva gave a suggestive wink and headed out the door. "I'll see you down there, Professor!"

"Why, oh why, did I tell her we couldn't do anything romantic until she graduated?" Albus muttered, mentally slapping himself. "The act of debriefing, ha! What a smart witch she is. What a smart witch." Repeating that last sentence to himself, he followed Minerva's footsteps towards the Great Hall.

A/N: I'm a horrible person for waiting this long, I know. I've tried to make it in before it had been a month since I've updated, and I think I've done that. I hope you like this chapter. I can't make any more excuses other than the fact that I've had boxes to unpack and schoolwork to contest with. Please R&R, it really will motivate me. Hope you enjoyed! :)


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: This is super ridiculously late, and I feel so horrible. I've had a bad case of writer's block, and the different climate in my new city has made me feel ill the past couple weeks. I'm going to stop making excuses, though- I hope you like this update!

**Disclaimer: All belongs to Jo. **

Chapter Nine: Tabby

*October 7th, 1951*

"Thank you for meeting with me, Professor," Minerva sat down in the chair across from Albus. "I have a proposition for you."

"Firstly, of course. You know my door's open anytime. Now, what do you mean a proposition?" Albus leaned back and pressed his fingers together. "You've piqued my interest, my dear."

"How busy are you this semester?" Minerva asked.

"Not busier than last, why?" Albus furrowed his brow. "Just come out with it Minerva, I'm not getting any younger."

"I was wondering if you could mentor me," Minerva mumbled. Upon seeing his perplexed expression, she elaborated. "I didn't know if you were willing to help me become an animagus."

"I would love to!" Albus jumped out of his chair. "Up you get, my dear, we'll start now!"

"Now? Albus, I'm not nearly prepared! I was planning on studying, on seeing what exactly is involved in the process," Minerva crossed her arms. "No, Albus. I refuse."

"Well, if you refuse, I'll just have to refuse your proposition," Albus said, sitting back down.

"Albus, that seems a bit ridiculous, doesn't it?" Minerva glanced up at him warily. "All I want is to learn more secrets about the art of transfiguration. If I want to one day earn a mastery in the subject, then I feel that becoming an animagus is an expectation."

"Expectation?" Albus asked incredulously. "Expectation? No, my dear, becoming an animagus is not an expectation! There are only four living registered animagi- one of them being myself! Many more wizards and witches have a transfiguration mastery. Now, being a hatstall, your success wouldn't be as surprising as your possible failure, but it would never be _expected_. Learning how to transfigure your body at will does not come without a great deal of time, effort and setbacks. If you cannot decipher the difference between an expectation and an impressive credential, then you most certainly cannot become an animagus."

Minerva glared at her professor, beams seemingly shooting their way out of her gleaming green eyes. "Never, _ever_, tell me I can't do something. Now, how do we start?"

Albus beamed. "Stand up, my dear. I don't want you to get your hopes up, because you most certainly will not be transforming today. It merely is to get your mind open to the idea of changing your body shape. Now, why are are you standing?"

"Albus, you told me to stand." Minerva stated confusedly.

"Oh, yes, but then you are to lie on the ground. Did I not mention that?" At her head shake, Albus waved his hand. "Well, please do not hesitate to do so now. Get comfortable and close your eyes. That's it. Now, I want you to clear your mind. Simply think of nothing."

"That's impossible, how can anyone think of nothing?" Minerva snorted. "It is proven that-"

"I don't care if it's proven or not, just clear your mind!" At her silence, Albus took a deep breath. "Thank you. Are you thinking of anything?"

"I suppose not." Minerva hissed at him.

"Good. Now for our first exercise. I am going to say a subject word. I want you to tell me the first word you think of when you hear it, alright?" He looked to see her give him a thumbs up. "First word: food."

"Fish and chips." Minerva answered back.

"Those are dreadfully too unsweetened for my taste, but to each her own, I suppose," Albus shuddered. "Now, second word: colour."

"Green," Minerva smiled slightly. "That's the colour of my family tartan."

"No details unless you can't help yourself, my dear," Albus winked at his student. "Villain."

"Self-righteous war leaders," Minerva growled inwardly at the thought. "I hate it when they think they are so superior to everyone else and that their causes should reign supreme."

"Diplomatically put, Minerva," Albus nodded his approval and ignoring her elaboration. "Fourth word: calm."

"Slight breeze," Minerva answered. "Next?"

"Home." Albus replied quietly.

"Here." Minerva slowly looked up at him. "Right here is where I belong. My house is beautiful, and I love my family, but here I have a purpose. Here I help others, I have a role, responsibilities I enjoy, and you."

"Never one to beat around the bush, are you Min?" Albus teased softly, leaning in to give her a hug and a peck on the cheek. "I hope you know you make Hogwarts home for me as well."

"I'm ever so glad, Albus," Minerva smiled into his chest, her stomach tingling at his words. "I'm ever so glad."

*Seven Months Later*

"Minerva, you can do this!" Albus urged her on. "Just focus!"

Minerva was laying on the floor, but with some alterations to her physique. She was about half her normal size, and she had a tail and ears. Her voice came out as a squeak when she spoke. "Albus, help me!"

"My dear, you must do this all on your own," Her mentor said patiently. "Calm down, clear your mind, and focus. Remember the exercise we did last week: you are. Now, what are you?"

"Freaking sick of this," Minerva mumbled. Seeing his glare she quickly corrected herself. "I am the cat, I am not a half-morph thing."

"Not word for word, but yes, I do believe that was the point," Albus said smoothly. "Look at me, Minerva. Think of the cat you want to be. Think of the cat you could be. Trust me, this will hurt more the longer you are in this...half-state."

With a noise that sounded like a hiss, Minerva closed her eyes. She pictured a gray cat, one with individual markings. Sighing, Minerva counted to five and thought to herself, '_you can do this_'.

What Albus saw next amazed his eyes. Minerva started to shrink and kept on reducing until she was the size of a small tabby cat. Her hands and feet transformed into little paws, and whiskers sprouted from the area where her nose should have been.

"I'll have to start calling you tabby, my dear," Albus beamed. "You did it! I knew you could do it! I'm so happy! Look at yourself. He conjured a mirror and placed it in front of Minerva. "You look adorable."

Minerva walked around as a cat, getting a feel for it. Her senses were heightened, and her vision different, but she did like the strange sensations. In fact, they felt a part of her already. She tried to voice her happiness, but only the sound of a meow could he heard. Minerva meowed excitedly, jumping up and down repeatedly.

"Yes, you did do it," Albus laughed. "I don't want you to overexert yourself, though. Would you please change back?"

Minerva focused and transfigured herself back. When she tried to stand, she fell right back down. "Albus, I'm dizzy."

"I should expect so, my dear. You just did your first full transformation into an animal. Within seven months, no less. Take it easy. Here, eat some chocolate." Albus thrust his hands into his robes and pulled out a chocolate from Honeydukes.

"Albus, you know I don't like-" Her voice was cut off by the stuffing of chocolate into her mouth. She sighed contentedly.

"I am well aware of your odd dislike for sugar, but this will give you energy again," Albus informed her. He gently pushed her hair away from her face. "I am so proud of you, my dear. So incredibly proud."

"Albus?" Minerva looked up wearily. "I like the sound of tabby. It sounds like a fitting nickname."

"Then tabby it is, my dear," Albus smiled at her, love shining through his eyes. "Tabby it is."

A/N: So once again, so sorry this is late! I would love it if you could find the time to read and review. This is short and somewhat of a filler, I'm aware, but it's an update, and a progression in their story, one that advances their relationship. And I thought it was kind of cute ;) . I hope you all have a splendid weekend- until next time, Laura.


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